Drag-racing Car Kills Woman, Police Say

April 25, 1999

CHICAGO — A Chicago woman was killed early Saturday when her car was hit by a teenager drag-racing at 64th Street and Pulaski Road, authorities said.

Margarita Martinez, 20, who was pronounced dead shortly after 2 a.m., had been driving east on 64th Street in her Geo Tracker and had slowed to turn north onto Pulaski when her vehicle was hit by a 1994 Camaro driven by Andre Ortega, 17, of the 3900 block of West 62nd Place, police said.

Authorities said Ortega had been drag-racing with the driver of a black Ford Thunderbird.

Ortega was treated at Christ Hospital and Medical Center in Oak Lawn and released. He has been charged with reckless homicide and was in custody Saturday.

Police were seeking the driver of the Thunderbird. They said Ortega told them he did not know the driver and could not identify him because the Thunderbird's windows were heavily tinted.